Inker for printing devices



-May 1-5, 1934. J. H. RAND INKER FOR PRINTING DEVICES Filed Nov. 7, 1932 Patented May 15, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT; OFFICE? 5 Claims.

This invention relates to inkers for printing devices and the like and more particularly to a novel and efficient manually operable inker for ticker tape machines and the like.

In the present practice of manually inking ticker tape machines and the like the operator uses a paddle or brush with which he obtains ink from an open receptacle and smears the ink upon the inking roll or. the ink distributor pad of the machine. Such a procedure is unsatisfactory because the ink is liable to drip or spatter and ink in an open receptacle evaporates and is fouled by dirt and dust falling therein. Furthermore the receptacle is easily upset and mislaid, too

much attention by the attendant is required and said method is inaccurate as to the quantity of ink applied and the point of application.

The principal object of my invention is to provide an inker for printing devices which is accurate both as to quantity of ink applied and as to point of application of the ink. A further object is to provide an inker which in operation obviates all dripping of ink, which is held securely in correct operating position, and the operation of which consumes a minimum amount of the operators time. A further object is to provide an inker with a closed ink receptacle eliminating evaporation and fouling of the ink. This and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

A recommended embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the inker in position above the inking roll and the type roll of a ticker tape machine; and r V Fig. 2 is an enlarged section taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

The particular embodiment of my invention chosen for the purposes of illustration comprises an ink reservoir 1 removably mounted in a holder or bracket 2 which is supported conveniently on the usual name plate 3 of the machine by means of the clip 4. This bracket 2 is made from a single strip of metal having a clip 4 formed at the upper end, the strip being bent through an angle of 180 at 5 and bent through an angle of 90 at the point 6 to form a base or shelf 7. A cup 9 is fastened to the shelf of the bracket, said cup having an interior diameter slightly larger than the exterior diameter of the lower extremity of the ink reservoir thereby allowing said extremity to telescopically enter said cup. A pair of clips 1010 are formed from the strip of metal forming the bracket, said clips being fashioned to partially surround the ink reservoir 1 and adapted to hold the ink reservoir against displacement but to allow and guide the longitudinal movement of the reciprocating part of the reservoir and also to allow the reservoir to be detached and removed from said bracket.

The ink reservoir itself consists of a barrel or chamber 11 in the lower end of which is screw threaded a cylinder 13 as illustrated in Fig. 2. This cylinder 13 carries a plug 12, said plug carrying a washer 14 to prevent leakage of ink when the cylinder has been screwed into place. Said cylinder 13 has an opening or openings 29--29 providing communication between the interior of the cylinder and the chamber of the ink reservoir. A piston 15 is relatively slidable within said cylinder and carries an ink delivering tube 16 extending longitudinally through said cylinder. One end of said tube projects into orthrough the cup 9 and the shelf '7 of the bracket by means of the perforation 25 and provides a nozzle, the other end of said tube is secured to a cap 22. Said cap provides a valve for opening and. closing the openings 29-29 in said cylinder. The tube 16 is provided with an opening or openings 24 in its periphery, said openings providing communication with the ink reservoir when the said cap 22 is in open position. A washer 23 is placed around one end of said tube adjacent and secured to the cap 22 and a washer 19 is placed around the middle section of said tube adjacent to the head 18 of said piston. The other end of the piston may be provided with a collar 17 adapted to rest upon the bottom of the cup 9 and adapted to hold the piston and the tube against downward displacement with respect to said'cup or the shelf 7 of the bracket. A spring 21 placed between the head 18 of the piston and the end 8 of the cylinder effects the return movement of the reservoir parts to their normal extended position after each stroke of the piston said spring normally holding the cap 22 in closed position. A metal washer 20 around the ink delivering tube forms a support for the lower end of, the spring. The ink reservoir 1 may be provided with a projection 30 above its lower extremity, said projection being adapted to contact the lip of the cup 9 after a limited longitudinal movement of the reservoir thereby controlling the length of stroke of the piston.

The ink reservoir by means of the bracket is held above the ink distributor pad 26 which inks the inking roll 27 which in turn inks the type roll 28. .In operation the bracket 2 must be so located in relation to the ink distributor pad or the inking roll that the end 16 of the ink distributing tube will be directed toward the desired point of application of the ink. The ink reservoir may be filled with ink by removing the cylinder from one end thereof and the filled reservoir is placed in the bracket with the lower end of the ink distributing tube in register with the hole 25. When pressure of the operators hand is brought to bear upon the end 31 of the ink reservoir said reservoir moves longitudinally toward. the shelf '7" of the bracket, being guided by the clips 10 and the sides of the cup 9, The piston 15 being supported by the bottom of the cup 9 remains stationary so that the end 8 of the cylinder 13 approaches the head 18 of the piston and the cap 22 is separated from the end of the cylinder opening the holes 29 as pressure is exerted upon the ink in the reservoir by means of the stroke of the piston, As the end 8 of the cylinder moves away from the cap 22 the hole 24 in the tube communicates with the ink in the reservoir and the increased pressure within the reservoir forces a measured quantity of ink through the hole 24 into the tube. The projection 30 limits the longitudinal motion of the ink reservoir by contacting with the lip of the cup 9. When the longitudinal motion of the reservoir has thus been limited the spring 21 being under compression and the operators hand having been removed from the end 31, the reservoir parts are returned by the spring to normal position and the openings 24 and 29 are closed against further communication with the chamber of the reservoir. Thus with each operation the piston makes a stroke of a definite length thereby causing a definite amount of ink to be forced into the tube and consequently a definite amount of ink to be forced out of the lower end of the tube upon the ink distributor pad and/or the inking roll.

An ink distributor constructed and operated in the manner described above provides an economically manufactured and easily operated inker for printing devices and the like which accurately applies a definite quantity of ink to the exact point of application desired.

It should be understood that the present disclosure is for the purpose of illustration only and that this invention includes all modifications and equivalents which fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a printing device of the character described which comprises an inking roll and an ink distributing pad, the combination of an ink dispenser comprising a reservoir and an ink delivery member communicating with said reservoir and extending to a point adjacent to said inking roll, and a supporting bracket for said ink dispenser, comprising a shelf adapted to support said ink dispenser, said shelf having a perforation in register with the ink delivery tube when the ink dispenser is in place on said shelf, said bracket disposed in fixed position relative to the ink distributing pad.

2. In a printing device of the character described which comprises an inking roll and an ink distributing pad, the combination of an ink dispenser comprising a reservoir and an ink delivery member communicating with said reservoir and extending to a point adjacent to said inking roll, and a supporting bracket for said ink dispenser, comprising a shelf adapted to support said ink dispenser, said shelf having a perforation in registerwith the ink delivery tube when the ink dispenser is in place on said shelf, said bracket provided also with a clip adapted to hold the ink dispenser in place, said bracket disposed in fixed position relative to the ink distributing pad.

3. In a printing device of the character de-- scribed, which comprises an inking roll and an ink distributing pad for said roll, the combination of an ink dispenser comprising a reservoir, an ink delivering. tube, a reciprocable pump member and a spring normally stressing said pump member to extended position, and a supporting bracket for said ink dispenser, comprising a shelf adapted to support said ink dispenser, said shelf having a perforation in register with the ink deliveringtube when the ink dispenser is in place on said shelf, said bracket provided also with a clip adapted to hold the ink dispenser in place, said bracket disposed in fixed position relative to the ink distributing pad, to deliver ink thereto from said ink delivering tube.

i. In a printing device of the character de-- scribed, which comprises an inking roll and ink distributing pad for said roll, the combination of an ink dispenser comprising interior and exterior members, the latter telescopically movable on the former, the interior member provided with an ink delivering tube, the exterior member serving as an ink reservoir, a spring normally holding the two said members stressed to extension, and a supporting bracket for said ink dispenser, comprising a shelf, a cup on said shelf into which the lower end of the outer member of the ink dispenser enters telescopically when moved over the inner member, the bottom of said cup serving as a support for the inner member of said ink dispenser, the cup and shelf provided with an opening in register with the ink deliverin tube, said bracket provided also with a clip adapted to hold and guide the outer telescoping member of the ink dispenser, the said bracket disposed in fixed position relative to the ink distributing pad, to deliver ink thereto from the said ink delivering tube.

5. In a printing device of the character described, which comprises an inking roll and ink distributing pad for said roll, the combination of an ink dispenser comprising interior and exterior members, the latter telescopically movable on the former, the interior member provided with an ink delivering tube, the exterior member serving as an ink reservoir, a spring normally holding the two said members stressed to extension, and a supporting bracket for said ink dispenser, comprising a shelf, a cup on said shelf into which the lower end of the outer member of the ink dispenser enters telescopically when moved over the inner member, the bottom of said cup serving as a support for the inner member of said ink dispenser, the cup and shelf provided with an opening in register With the ink delivering tube, said bracket provided also with a clip adapted to hold and guide the outer telescoping member of the ink dispenser, the said bracket disposed in fixed position relative to the ink distributing pad, to deliver ink thereto from the said ink delivering tube, the said outer member of the ink dispenser having a projection above its lower end adapted to contact the lip of said cup upon movement of said outer member over said inner member thereby limiting the length of said movement and controlling the quantity of ink dispensed upon each movement.

JAMES H. RAND. 

